SEAN Dempster has not ruled out playing finals football again.

The defender, who is a fortnight away from his 200-game milestone, is enjoying another consistent season.

His averages disposals per game of 17.8 is the highest it has been at any stage of his career, and at 31, the ex-Swan is committed to fast-tracking St Kilda’s next generation of exciting young talent.

“Over the next couple of years is where you will see a lot of our improvement,” Dempster told SEN on Monday.

“Once we can get 50 or so games under the young guys’ belts, that’s when we will be a contender.”

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Already Luke Dunstan has played 31 matches, while fellow draftee Jack Billings has notched 25.

Alan Richardson has made it clear that he is unswerving in his desire to blood younger players, but only with the help of wise heads such as Dempster.

“We knew that if we worked really hard over the off-season we’d come back and be OK,” Dempster said.

“We’ve had some great young talent come in to the club over the last two years, and we knew that if we gave them some time, they would buy into our system.”

One of these up-and-coming Saints is Paddy McCartin, last year’s number one draft pick who debuted in round three but was forced to learn his craft in the VFL before a recall in round 16.

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“Paddy has been super,” Dempster said.

“It’s hard for a number one draft pick to come into a side and he has been great in dealing with the pressure. He’s just knuckled down and been back to the VFL and put his hand up through really strong performances. I can’t fault him.

“He’s one of the boys in a footy club. He loves to get around you and loves to chat. He’s a really good kid.”

Clearly, if St Kilda is to push further up the ladder in 2016 and into finals contention, then players such as McCartin, Lonie, Goddard and Dunstan remain just as pivotal as Dempster, Montagna and of course Riewoldt.